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Monday, June 1, 2009

401k and IRA Planning: Secure Your Future!

By Brett Denney

The earlier you can start saving for retirement in a 401K the better. Those that begin a 401K in there twenties do quite well by the time they retire or can access their 401K. A 401K is retirement account. It basically works in the following way. When you are working for a company you can dictate how much of your salary to put into a 401K each month. This contribution to the 401K is not taxed, so you get more money, and many times the company will match what you put into the 401K.

Some of the advantages to having a 401K include the following, your company may match the amount your put into the 401K, you can make a lot of money if you invest for the long term for 20 to 30 years, you reduce the amount of taxes you have to pay based on your salary and all contributes are tax deferred unless they are withdrawn prior to age 59 and 1/2.

Most employers will match their employee's contributions though there are 401k rules to follow. These retirement accounts are protected by pension laws, as they are a form of personal investment.

There are a few disadvantages though the benefits are much greater. Unfortunately you cannot withdraw any of the money in your 401K until you retire or come of age, around 59. Your employer may contribute to the retirement account, though there are certain 401k rules just like there are IRA rules. There is also no insurance for a 401k, as it is not covered by the pension benefit guaranty corporation. Your account can fluctuate in value.

There are many different investments you can make in your 401K. It is suggested that when starting you invest in stock but you can also invest in money market funds, bonds, maturities and more. You have control over your investments and can change your investments every time another contribution is made. Financial experts suggest being more aggressive when you're younger and have a longer time horizon, as most individuals are too conservative. Towards the end of the 401K term you want to be a bit more selective, but to make money you need to invest in stocks. Stocks do very well when you are buying and selling in the long term.

There are rules for a 401K and they differ depending on your pay bracket. 401k rules state that you can make both before tax contributions and after tax contributions. There is a maximum before tax 401k limits and the money needs to be deposited in a specific amount of time, usually 7 days before the end of the month.

After tax contributions are easier to access as it is possible to take a 401k loan out from yourself from your after tax contributions. These do have some drawbacks; so make sure you understand the 401k rules. The 401K retirement account was designed to benefit the majority of workers, but also benefits the individuals that run the companies. As they are able to provide a great benefit to their employees. Much like 401k's there are IRA rules if you're considering those retirement accounts.

IRA retirement accounts are individual accounts. When planning for your other accounts it's important to understand the different forms of title. Many couples set up accounts as a joint account, but there are some often better ways like tenants in common, joint tenancy, and community property. Do some research to find your best match.

An IRA account is also a retirement account but it is slightly different then a 401K. It is possible to take money out of an IRA account without penalties to pay for a house, education or medical expenses. These come with certain IRA limits, however. Make sure you understand both the IRA and Roth IRA rules before making a choice. The traditional IRA benefit is the IRA deduction where as the Roth IRA is the tax free income upon withdrawal. Since the IRA is an individual retirement account and you do not receive matching contributions from your employer. - 23226

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